Rescinnamine in Treatment of Hypertension in Hospital Clinic and in General Practice

Abstract

Preparations of Rauwolfia serpentina, and in particular its alkaloid reserpine, are widely used in the treatment of hypertension. Their value has been challenged on the grounds that they rarely produce an adequate result in severe hypertension and that they can cause undesirable side-effects, especially depression. Many workers feel that they still have a place in the management of less severe hypertension, and that the adoption of smaller dosage reduces significantly the risk of side-effects. It has been suggested that rescinnamine, another alkaloid of rauwolfia, might have an antihypertensive effect equal to that of reserpine. but with less tendency to cause depression. The following report describes an experiment with two objectives: firstly, to determine whether the anti hypertensive effect of reserpine on a group of patients might be equalled by a smaller dose of reserpine together with rescinnamine, and whether the combined regime might have fewer side-effects; and, secondly, to compare the conclusions of the hospital clinic with an independent assessment of the results in the same patients by their own family doctors, during the same period of time. It was hoped also to obtain some data about the relationship between blood-pressure readings made in the hospital clinic and those made in she home or in the consulting-room.